The Golden State Warriors have not had a great year.
After going 42-40 in the 2006-07 season, making the playoffs for the first time in 13 years that postseason, and upsetting the heavily favored No. 1 seed Dallas Mavericks in the first round, the team took a step back in 2007-08.
The Warriors did win 48 games in the 2007-08 season, but did not make the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. No shame in that for a franchise that has struggled years prior, right? Wrong.
Warriors' head coach Don Nelson didn't do himself or the organization any favors, benching Baron Davis in one of the last games of the season in the second half.
Sure, Davis was 2-13 from the field in the first half, but the Warriors needed their best man at crunch time....during a playoff race.
Even though Davis stated there was no problem between him and Coach Nelson, many believe that is far from the truth. Perhaps, this was most evident when Baron Davis shocked now former team and signed with the division rival Los Angeles Clippers for a five-year deal worth $65 million.
People want to talk about the Clippers' latest setback with the loss of Elton Brand and Corey Maggette (who ironically signed with Golden State), but I would say the Warriors have a greater problem on their hands.
There have been rumblings according to a variety of league insiders, stating that Warriors' restricted free agent guard Monta Ellis may want to leave the team. If that is indeed the case, Golden State has to match any offer a team throws at the two-guard.
For those that don't know, Ellis was not only Most Improved Player off the 2007-08 season but could have made the case for the award again in 2008!
|
Year |
Team |
GP |
GS |
MPG |
FG% |
3P% |
FT% |
RPG |
APG |
SPG |
BPG |
PPG |
|
2005–06 |
Golden State |
49 |
3 |
18.1 |
.415 |
.341 |
.712 |
2.1 |
1.6 |
.6 |
.2 |
6.8 |
|
2006–07 |
Golden State |
77 |
53 |
34.3 |
.475 |
.273 |
.763 |
3.2 |
4.1 |
1.7 |
.3 |
16.5 |
|
2007–08 |
Golden State |
81 |
72 |
37.9 |
.531 |
.231 |
.767 |
5.0 |
3.9 |
1.5 |
.3 |
20.2 |
|
Career |
|
207 |
128 |
31.9 |
.495 |
.285 |
.761 |
3.6 |
3.4 |
1.4 |
.2 |
15.7 |
As you can see above, Ellis has greatly improved every season. In the 2007-08 season, the guard improved in almost every statistical category. Had it not been for Hedo Turkoglu's career rebirth, we may have seen the first two-time winner of Most Improved Player.
The Warriors have signed Corey Maggette to attempt to make up for Baron Davis's departure, but if they let Ellis get away, the franchise may fade back into obscurity and regain its aura of irrelevancy.
Here's another fun fact. Monta Ellis is only 22, meaning he could be the star, face, and future of the franchise for many seasons to come. The Golden State Warriors may not make the playoffs, but if they want to be in the hunt…
They have to come out and pay.
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2 months ago
I don't know why people keep mentioning that the W's didn't make the playoffs just cuz we didn't win that Phoenix game when Nellie benched BD. We were already NOT NOT NOT going to make the playoffs because 1- Nuggets had Memphis to play in their last game. 2- If they happened to lose that game, they would have still had a better Conference record than my Warriors.
I don't know anything about the Monta Ellis deal, him leaving is a big doubt. He ain't leavin man! Mully has repeatedly said he would match any offer. But if he wants to go to the Clips...well that's his choice. Cuz I know he has a very close relationship with BD. NOt even sure that the Clips have the kind of dough.
Thirdly, Monta's 23, not 22!! Get your facts right please.
Fourth, it would be a miricale if the Warriors grab the 8th spot next year. Screw you BD.
from 2 months ago
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3966
He's 22, buddy. Thanks for the feedback.
from 2 months ago
Just you posting that page up now makes me sure you don't know how to do simple calculations. Pull out your calculator. It's 2008. He was born in 1985. 2008 - 1985= 23!!
The page you sent was not updated right! His 23rd birthday was last October, on the 26th.
2 months ago
As an aside, why does anyone think that breaking the bank to get an 8th seed is ever in a team's best interests? Just look at the Denver Nuggets- they're made the playoffs the last 5 years now, but lost in the first round every time. The Warriors could spend some money and somehow make it to the playoffs, but then they'll just get beat by superior teams. It's better to save up that cap space for a rainy day and spend it on free agents that are actually worthy of star-player money, that way they can someday become a title contender; I already think that spending $50 on Corey Maggette was a gross overpayment.
from 2 months ago
Come on, Monta is a minium a 15 million a year tweener
from 2 months ago
Sure, no question. That's why this is kind of an aside. I'm just saying, why do people seem to be so hyped up about paying players like Maggette and Biedrins way more than they're worth just so the Warriors can be good enough to be in the competition to be stomped by the Lakers, Hornets or Spurs in the first round? Overspending on mediocre players is the surest way to ensure that a team will stay mediocre; the sad truth is that before a team can be great, they usually have to be really bad so that they can either get lucky in the lottery or make a move in free agency for a REAL star player (like Elton Brand or Baron Davis this year).
What I don't understand specifically in this case is why the Warriors didn't just tell Maggette to hold on for a while, make an offer to Josh Smith, and then if the Hawks matched they still could've signed Maggette if they wanted. Furthermore, they were bidding against themselves; no one else was gonna give this guy more than the mid-level exception. So why $10 million a year when $7 or $8 million would probably have worked?
from 2 months ago
... and actually, now that I think about it... $15 million? Really? For all of his promise, Monta's never been an all-star, and his only real skill is that he can score out the wazoo- not bad, for sure, but for $15 million I'd like a guy who can defend and make his teammates better, too.
Even Gilbert Arenas had to sign a deal for around $9 or $10 million after his first few successful years to prove he was worth max money before it was given to him. I wouldn't give Ellis max money until he showed me definitively that he is indeed a "franchise player."
from 2 months ago
i was agreeing with you John. I don't think Monta is a 15 mil a year guy and do think he is a tweener. A tweener that can play and has some value but not a "match any offer guy" at all. Your point was well taken. My scarasism- not so much :)
2 months ago
I agree that paying Maggette $50 million was a huge mistake and, yes, signing Monta Ellis, along with Biedrins, should be the priority for the Warriors. Signing Ellis will not be the issue with the Warriors. Rumor has it the Warriors are low-balling Monta in an effort to save money. But once again, I agree, Monta must be signed long term for the Warriors to matter at all over the next five to seven years.
Ellis is the key to the Warriors success next year, however little it might be in 2008-2009. With the recent deal by the Nuggets, sending Camby to the Clippers, the final playoff spot is wide open.
2 months ago
YOU BOTH ARE IDIOTS, HE'S 22..... HE'LL BE 23 IN OCT. WE GOT TO DO BETTER!
2 months ago
I hate this article. It added nothing but a bunch of whining and false premises--for example, the idiotic statement, "If that [Ellis wants to leave the team] is indeed the case, Golden State has to match any offer a team throws at the two-guard." If Nellie says that Ellis will be a good PG, I believe him. Under any condition, GS would have to match any offer to keep Ellis. Regarding Davis, he hurt himself prior to the Phoenix game by attending a party the night before and then playing badly at the beginning of the game. Giving a long term contract to someone with Davis' health problems, inconsistent play and poor priorities would have been dumb. Regarding Maguette, I trust Mullen's and Nelson's judgement to be far better the idiots who write junk like this.
2 months ago
I agree that Monta's the key to this team. The Maggettee signing is an awful, reactionary move that smacks of the horrible extensions Mully gave Dunleavy and Troy Murphy. But, only Memphis can offer Monta a big money deal outright, so there might not be too much to worry about. I think you could get away with a Josh Howard type contract, 50 mil over 6 years. Or, offer him a 3 year binger for about 28 mil.
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